Gachagua: Lack of Power Deal with Ruto Left Me Sidelined
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has blamed his political sidelining on the absence of a formal power-sharing agreement with President William Ruto.

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has blamed his political sidelining on the absence of a formal power-sharing agreement with President William Ruto.
Speaking during a visit to Cleophas Malala in Makunga, Kakamega County, Gachagua admitted that his failure to secure a written deal before supporting Ruto significantly affected his influence within the government.
Addressing journalists, Gachagua reflected on the challenges he faced after the 2022 elections. He noted that his attempts to advocate for the people of Western Kenya were undermined by the lack of a structured power-sharing arrangement, leaving him unable to fully deliver on his promises.
“It is not a must to go through someone to reach the government. You have enough sons and daughters who are well-educated, like Cleophas Malala, Eugene Wamalwa, and George Natembeya. All you need is unity,” Gachagua said.
Gachagua pointed out that his counterparts in the Kenya Kwanza Alliance—National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi—secured a 30% written agreement with President Ruto. This, he said, enabled them to maintain significant influence in government.
“You are about five million people with brilliant sons of this land. Support them by being united as a community. Ask your leaders about the agreements and whether they can be honored,” he urged.
In contrast, Gachagua revealed that his alliance with Ruto lacked such guarantees, relying instead on personal trust and informal bargaining.
"I made a great mistake by supporting William Ruto without a written agreement. Unlike Wetang’ula and Mudavadi, who had clear terms ensuring a 30% share of government, I went into this alliance man to man—and I was locked out of power," he explained.
Gachagua lamented that his efforts to secure Western Kenya’s rightful share in government had been undermined by this lack of formal arrangements.
"I was only trying to help the people of Western Kenya achieve their rightful share, but my efforts were undercut by the absence of a formal agreement," he said.
Despite his challenges, Gachagua expressed optimism about the future and called for unity among Kenyans. He urged the people of Western Kenya to rally behind leaders such as Eugene Wamalwa, George Natembeya, and Cleophas Malala, whom he believes can advance the region’s interests in government.
"It is time for us to unite and work together for the benefit of the people. Let us support Eugene Wamalwa, George Natembeya, and Cleophas Malala as they push for the betterment of Western Kenya," Gachagua appealed.
He also claimed that Ruto wanted to dominate Mount Kenya politics and that his resistance to this idea led to his political marginalization.
"Ruto wanted to become the leader of Mount Kenya. When I disagreed, I felt disrespected and eventually thrown out of power," Gachagua alleged.